Oil well gusher control regulator



Oct. 23, 1934. H. WALKER 1,978,377

OIL WELL GUSHER CONTROL REGULATOR Filed Sept. ll, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 23, 1934.

H. L. WALKER OIL WELL GUSHER CONTROL REGULATOR Filed Sept. l1, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H feller A TTORNE Y.

Patented Oct. 23, 1934 6 Claims.N

This invention relatesl tol oilf well gusher control# regulator in thatclass in which the flow of oilor gas `is-'clver-ted and nally controlled, or regulated, and theobject ofimy'invention is to provide means lifor diverting the flowwofV oil or"gas on each side ofthe-casingpipe'laterally; and means for closing theoutlet ofthe lateral fiow'after the gusher has blown, and is` out oi. controla" Y Another object is-to-'provide means for attache llltingf the -control ttingsw on-the pipeafter the gusher blows,l and to divert the Vvertical `fiowwto one or l more "lateral streams -1 byA remote control,` allowing for the-controlof^ the lateral streams at the lpipe. 151i" Anotherobject of the-invention 'is tolprovide4 simpleand lstrong construction, and -means to securely fix the-fittings on the -pipe With-'the gusher in action.

It is Well known in thisbranch` of engineering that anfoil-well gusher out of control is a wasteful;` dangerous,A and expensive problem before it "can be brought under control inthe usual way.

Other objects of the vinvention `will 1appear tol those familiar with, and skilled'inthisart as the description progresses.

An embodiment of the invention is shown inthe accompanying drawings in` which the same referencenumeral isapplied toA thersame portion throughout the several views, and of `Which there may be modifications.

Figure `1 is a-sectionstaken-between the flanges of the housing.

Figure 2 isasectionalview taken on liiie 2;*2v

of Figure 1. V

Figure 3 is asectional planview"tal en=on-line` 3--3'of Figure 2.

Figuref isaplanof the fittingsWiththehous' ing closed. i

40 ingthe housings 'set in their open position with the means of remote control,` and showing the gusher in action;

Fig-ure 6-is a modi-fi'd'frmof the invention showing the cover plate removed to show how the sliding gate acts to split the gusher stream and divert it into two lateral streams.

Figure 'l is a section on line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Figure 7.

The numerals 1 and 2 indicate thetwo halves of the attachable clamp that is adapted to be attached and securely clamped to the pipe 3 of the oil Well, just below the coupling 4 of the pipe by means of flanges 1' and 2 and bolts 3. The clamps have the lugs 5 and 6 to which are hinged uthe housings l and 8 by means of the bolts 9 and 10. Thehousingslhaveilanged nnetingffacesM 1l andl 12,'land therearerecessesin thefhousin'gs to form a closed chamber 13 when the flanges are" together. Communicating-"with thischamberv are the valves 14-"a.ndy 15. The flanges 'are' providedi 60 withf holes 16` for the bolts`- 1'7. Therelare'alsof holes 1S and -19 somewhat largerithanthe flange bolts `for theV operating.` rods '20 and 21, the v hole's beingA somewhat conicalf to allow for the-swingof the housings when opening f and closingl Thef65 housings also have the flangesf22 and 23'adaptedy to'beiboltedftoltheclamp member by the bolts 24r when the housings are in the closed position;V

Fixed on the bolts9`and 10 larethe gearsegf ments 25 and 26 and'27 and28` so that the hous- 70 ings will close' evenly-together- The operating* rods 20 and 21 have the rounded collars-29,and' A the threaded nut on the threadedfro'dsl the nutsbeing `set into the ilanges tofprevent them` from turning when thefrodis turned to draw thelhous-V ings together. 1

Therods havefthe'sprocketsi-Zl and-'532 'iixedlAf thereon; and' a chainl33 passes overf tlitw'o' sprocketssothat the 'rods can bev turned-'in unison.

For means adapted to turn both rods consideriable distance from the well," the rods beingA on each-side ofthe gusher streamthe rods 34 and 34 are connected to the rods 20* and 21' inf any 'suit able Way; in this instance provision is'made to"A 85 utilize the 'drill rods which werelused in making the welll so as to avoid"extra expense for the purchase ofospelcial rodsfforthis purpose. The rodsl are-mounted on suitablestands; andmeans are provided fo'r `turning the rods. 90

In operation in the event` ofA a gusher,the'czlamp` fittings are secured in place' under the couplingof" the pipe, the hinged housingsk being open oneachl side of thegush'er stream. The operating rods` 'are now-mounted in Vplace,"and thechain placed on v the sprockets; the drill rods are connected and` mounted; lthe ValvesA` 14 land'li being l"open," the rods are turned in unison to gradually bring tli two housings together yacting to shut off the gusher and divert it through the valves 14 and 15. 100M:

After the anges are brought together the bolts are put in the flanges and drawn up securely, also thebolts 24 turned up to hold the housings down on the clamp members. NOW one of the valves may be closed and pipes connected to lead 1051? the oil to a storage tank, after which the valve is opened and the other valve closed and connected in the same way, after which the valves are both opened and the gusher is under control.

In the modified form of the invention shown l in Figures 6, 7 and 8 the housing 40 is in one piece clamped under the coupling of the pipe by means of the U bolts 4l and the plate 42. The housing has the chamber 43 to which is connected the valves 44 and 45, and there is an opening 46 in the top of the chamber in alignment with the pipe 3 so that the gusher does not touch any part of the housing. There is a cover plate 47 secured by bolts 48 to the housing. Mounted in the housing is the horizontally slidable gate member 49, having a sharp edge at the bottom, and on the front face so as to form a wedge like entering gate into the gusher stream. The gate flares on each side of the bottom edge to split and divert the stream into two streams to the valves.

The gate is operated by the screws 50 and 51, which are connected to the drill rods for remote control similar to the rst described form. The rods are turned in unison by means of the sprockets 53 and 54, and chain 55, the above arrangement being made to keep the screws turning in unison so that they can be operated by remote power independently.

In operation the housing is slid over the pipe :horizontally so as to have a shoulder under the pipe coupling, the U bolts and plate 42 in place and clamped up tight. Now the plate 47 is secured in place thus enclosing the gusher, but not interfering with it in any way, the Valves are opened, and the regulator is ready for remote control through the drill rods. .As the rods are turned the gate is forced into the gusher stream acting to split it and divert it to the valves and thus bring the gusher under control.

From the description of the embodiments of the invention it will be seen that a Very ehicient means for the control of gas or oil well gushers has been evolved.

Having thus described my invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows, but modifications may be had in carrying out the invention as shown in the drawings and in the particularly described form thereof within the purview of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. An oil gusher control regulator of the class described comprising clamping means in two parts, lugs on said parts, pins in said lugs, housings on said pins, means to draw said housings together to form a closed chamber over the end of a pipe, and outlet valves for said chamber.

2. An oil well gusher control regulator of the class described comprising a clamp in two parts adapted to clamp on the pipe of an oil gusher below the coupling of said pipe, a hinged housing on each of said parts, each of said housings hinged on, and secured by a pin to said part, a recess in each housing adapted to form a closed chamber when the housings are brought together, Valves connected to said chamber, and threaded rods to bring the two housings together by remote control.

3. An oil well gusher control regulator of the class described comprising a clamp in two parts adapted to clamp on an oil well pipe below the coupling thereof, a hinged housing on each of said parts, a recess in each of said housings adapted to form a closed chamber in said housings, valves connected to said chamber, threaded rods on each side of the flow of oil from said pipe in said housing, and means to turn both of said rods simultaneously to bring said housings together to divert the iiow of oil into two lateral streams, and means to shut off said streams.

4. An oil well control regulator of the class described comprising clamp members adapted to clamp on an oil well pipe to form an upper surface surrounding said pipe under the coupling member of said pipe and projecting therefrom, a housing member hinged on each of said clamp members and having anged surfaces adapted to meet above the pipe, recesses in said hinged members to form a chamber above the end of the pipe, a lower surface on said hinged housings adapted to clamp down on the upper surface of the clamp members when closed, a threaded rod on each sideof said pipe adapted to open or close said hinged housings, a Valve on each housing connected to said chamber, and means to operate said threaded rods simultaneously.

5. An oil well control regulator of the class described comprising a pair of clamp members having flanged meeting faces adapted to clamp on a pipe adjacent the end thereof, lugs on said clamp members, pins in said lugs, a housing fixed on each of said pins, recesses in said housings to form a closed chamber when said housings are together, an opening to each of said recesses, valves for said openings, gear segments xed to said pins and in mesh with each other whereby the housings will move in unison, threaded rods in aligned openings in said housings, nuts on said rods whereby the housings may be opened or closed, means to turn both of said rods simultaneously, and means to extend said rods for remote control of said housings.

6. An oil well gusher control regulator of the class described comprising flanged clamp members adapted to clampr on each side of an oil well pipe under the coupling member of said pipe to form a horizontal surface on the upper side of said clamp members, lugs projecting from said clamp memflanged housings together, outlets from said chamber, and Valves to control said outlets.

HARDIE L. WALKER. 

